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Frank Eugene " Hill" Harper (born May 17, 1966) is an American actor and political candidate, who is known for his roles as Sheldon Hawkes in , Agent Spelman Boyle in Limitless, and Dr. Marcus Andrews in The Good Doctor.
Harper was a candidate in the Democratic Primary in the 2024 United States Senate election in Michigan to fill the seat of retiring incumbent, Debbie Stabenow.
Harper graduated magna cum laude from Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island in 1988, with a BA degree in economics and sociology. He was also valedictorian of his department. In 1992, he graduated with a Juris Doctor, cum laude, from Harvard Law School in Cambridge, Massachusetts. He received an MPA degree with honors from John F. Kennedy School at Harvard University. "Hill Harper bio". Manifest Your Destiny Foundation. Retrieved November 15, 2010. During his years at Harvard, he was a full-time member of Boston's Black Folks Theater Company, one of the oldest and most acclaimed black theater troupes in the United States.Miller, Kiley (December 15, 2007). "Actor returns to Iowa for Obama" . The Hawk Eye. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
While a student at Harvard, Harper befriended Barack Obama, with whom he played basketball.Dani, Sarika (October 24, 2008). "Actor and Obama pal Hill Harper: 'He gets it right'". MSNBC. Retrieved June 22, 2010. In 2012, Harper was appointed to The President's Cancer Panel, a three-member body assigned to work with the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and make recommendations to the White House around cancer policy.
He subsequently moved to Los Angeles to pursue acting. He has received eight honorary degrees, including honorary degree doctorates from both Westfield State College and Howard University. "Hill Harper has received 7 honorary doctorate degrees." Manifest Your Destiny Foundation's web site Retrieved April 19, 2016
In February 2013, it was announced that CSI: NY would be ending and Harper would be joining the cast of Covert Affairs as a series regular.Ng, Philiana (February 22, 2013). " CSI: NY Star Hill Harper Joins Covert Affairs as Series Regular". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved February 22, 2013.
From April 21, 2015, to May 10, 2015, Harper starred as "Hard Rock" in the Off-Broadway play ToasT. The play (produced by Lemon Andersen and co-starred Keith David) is set in the Attica Prison around the time of its 1971 prison riot and tells of the lives of its using poetic prose. ToasT Opens in Public Theatre BroadwayBlack.com Retrieved July 24, 2016
From May 1, 2018, to June 17, 2018, Harper starred as "Rooftop" in the Off-Broadway play Our Lady of 121st Street. This black comedy (written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Phylicia Rashad) is about former students paying their respects to Nun Rose, only to find that Sister Rose's body has been stolen. Our Lady of 121st Street, Directed by Tony Winner Phylicia Rashad, Begins Off-Broadway Playbill. Retrieved May 2, 2018
Hill Harper's acting career also includes voice-over work (or voice acting) with , Breathe Bible, plus, called Legal Wars and 5-Factor Authentication. Hill Harper, The Voice of Mark BreatheBible.com Retrieved September 18, 2017 "Legal Wars" from Wonderly Podnews.net Retrieved October 12, 2018 Norton Security & Hill Harper Announce New "5-Factor Authentication" Podcast Retrieved August 25, 2022
In January 2008, Harper participated in "Yes We Can", a music video produced by will.i.am supporting presidential candidate Barack Obama. Harper is a member of the Obama for America National Finance Committee. "Obama for America National Finance Committee". George Washington University. Retrieved June 1, 2008.
Harper endorsed the 10,000 Bookbags "Support Our 10,000 Bookbag Giveaway on 8.8.09". The Life Center – Urban Change. Retrieved November 30, 2011. back-to-school backpack campaign to help local, disadvantaged children with Urban Change Ministries founder Pastor Jay Cameron of the Life Center, and R&B singer Ginuwine.Pendleton, Tonya (August 12, 2009). "Ginuwine, Hill Harper Lead Back-to-School Effort" . BlackAmericaWeb.com. Retrieved November 30, 2011.
On February 22, 2016, the Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law announced that Harper would be their national spokesman. "Hill Harper Named as Lawyers' Committee's National Spokesperson" Retrieved February 22, 2016
He is also the founder of the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation, which is dedicated to empowering underserved youth through mentorship, scholarship, and grant programs.
Harper gained attention in November 2023, after announcing that he had declined an offer of $20 million in campaign contributions that would have been contingent upon him dropping out of the Senate race and mounting a primary challenge against U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib. He has called for a "humanitarian ceasefire" in Gaza. On August 6, 2024, Harper was defeated in the Democratic Primary by Slotkin.
He was also a recipient of the 2011 Freedom Award, which honors individuals who have made significant contributions in civil rights and who have laid the foundation for present and future leaders in the battle for human rights. The award was conferred upon Harper from the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis for "his nonprofit foundation, the Manifest Your Destiny Foundation."
In 2018, the Audience Development Committee, Inc. (AUDELCO) nominated Hill Harper for a Vivian Robinson Award; Lead Actor in a Play, for his role as Walter "Rooftop" Desmond in the Off-Broadway play: Our Lady of 121st Street. 2018 AUDELCO Nominations Retrieved May 12, 2019
On Sunday, December 5, 2021, the Boston, Massachusetts Museum of African American History honored Hill Harper with a Living Legends award - The Garrison Silver Cup. Massachusetts' Museum of African American History's 2021 Living Legends Gala Retrieved December 6, 2021
People magazine named Hill Harper as one of the "Sexiest Men Alive" for 2004, and again for 2014. "Sexiest Men Alive List 2004" People Retrieved July 4, 2016 "Sexiest Men Alive List 2014 : Sexy at Every Age" People Retrieved July 4, 2016
In November 2015, Harper received a call to adopt a baby boy. He agreed, and by May 2017, the adoption was finalized.
In 2018, Harper purchased and moved into the historic Charles T. Fisher Mansion in Detroit, Michigan.
| Feature Film "Slaves of Hollywood" Retrieved February 20, 2017 |
| Nominated—Independent Spirit Award for Best Male Lead |
| Short film "Max and Josh Film Short" Retrieved February 11, 2017 |
| Biographical film debuted Friday, June 16, 2017; what would have been Tupac Shakur 46th birthday. |
| Theater Release Dates: August 20, 21 & 22, 2018 only. |
| Film debuted Friday, May 17, 2019, on Hill Harper's 53rd birthday. The Sun Is Also A Star movie trailer Retrieved May 2, 2019 |
| Documentary film |
| Harper is also an Executive Producer. The film's Filmmaking Short Film is called "Butterfly Boxing". |
| 1993 | Life Goes On | Nurse #2 | Episode: "Incident on Main" |
| 1993–1994 | Married... with Children | Aaron Mitchell | 5 episodes |
| 1994 | Renegade | Clarence "Dex" Dexter | Episode: "South of 98" |
| M.A.N.T.I.S. | Episode: "Tango Blue" | ||
| Walker, Texas Ranger | B.J. Mays | Episode: "Badge of Honor" | |
| The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air | Dana | Episode: "Will Steps Out" | |
| 1995 | The Client | "J-Top" | Episode: "Them That Has..." |
| Live Shot | Tommy Greer | Main role; 13 episodes | |
| 1996 | NYPD Blue | "Bo-Bo" Thomas | Episode: "The Blackboard Jungle" |
| Dangerous Minds | Darryl | Episode: "Family Ties" | |
| 1997 | Oddville, MTV | Episode No. 44 | |
| ER | Mr. Jackson | Episode: "Obstruction of Justice" | |
| 1998 | Cosby | Preston | Episode: "Men Are from Mars Women Are from Astoria" |
| Mama Flora's Family | Don | Television film | |
| 2000 | City of Angels | Dr. Wesley Williams | Main role; 24 episodes Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor in a Drama Series |
| 2002 | The Court | Christopher Bell | Unsold TV pilot |
| The Twilight Zone | Professor John Woodrell | Episode: "Shades of Guilt" "Shades of Guilt" Retrieved February 20, 2017 | |
| 2003–2004 | The Handler | Darnell | Main role; 16 episodes Nominated—Satellite Award for Best Supporting Actor – Television Series |
| 2004 | Soul Food | Kelvin Chadway | 2 episodes |
| The Sopranos | Stokley Davenport M.D. | Episode: "Irregular Around the Margins" | |
| Sheldon Hawkes | Episode: "MIA/NYC NonStop" | ||
| 2004–2013 | Sheldon Hawkes | Main role; 197 episodes NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (2008–10) Nominated—NAACP Image Award for Outstanding Actor in a Drama Series (2005–07, 2011–13) | |
| 2005 | Himself | Documentary miniseries | |
| The 4400 | Edwin Mayuya | Episode: "Rebirth" | |
| Lackawanna Blues | Ruben Santiago Jr. (Adult) | Television film | |
| 2009 | The Game | Himself | Episode: "Hill Street Blues" |
| 2010 | Stonehenge Apocalypse | Joseph Lesham | Television film |
| 2011 | The Real Housewives of Atlanta | Himself | Episode: "Tour-Ture" |
| 2013–2014 | Covert Affairs | Calder Michaels | Main role, 32 episodes |
| 2015 | Madam Secretary | Aiden Humphrey | Episode: "The Kill List" |
| 2015–2016 | Limitless | Spelman Boyle | Main role; 22 episodes Character named after Spelman College. |
| 2016 | Braxton Family Values | Himself | Episode: "You Gotta Get Pelvic to Pelvic!" |
| Unsung Hollywood | Himself | Episode: "Hill Harper" "Unsung Hollywood: Hill Harper" Retrieved November 10, 2017 | |
| 2017 | The Real Housewives of Potomac | Himself | Episode: "Don't Let the Zip Code Fool Ya" |
| Homeland | Chief of Staff, Rob Emmons | 11 episodes | |
| 2017–2021 | How It Really Happened | Himself | Host and Narrator of 12-episode Anthology series. |
| 2017–2024 | The Good Doctor | Dr. Marcus Andrews | 105 episodes |
| 2018 | Black Love | Himself | Special Episode: "Motherly Love" |
| 2019 | The $100,000 Pyramid | Himself | Episode 409 (Season 4; Episode 9) |
| 2020 | Mentoring Kings | Himself | Docuseries |
| 2022 | Super Pumped | Eric Holder | Episode: "Delete Uber" |
| Joey Sands |
| (Adult) Reuben Clark |
| Hard Rock |
| Walter "Rooftop" Desmond |
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